Electrical complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 | 9% | — |
| 2023 | 1 | 25% | — |
| 2022 | 1 | 7% | — |
| 2020 | 4 | 5% | — |
| 2019 | 19 | 10% | 22,000 miles |
| 2018 | 12 | 8% | 14,000 miles |
| 2017 | 21 | 17% | 5,000 miles |
| 2016 | 14 | 19% | 25,000 miles |
| 2015 | 20 | 26% | 40,000 miles |
| 2014 | 17 | 16% | 43,000 miles |
| 2013 | 34 | 14% | 84,000 miles |
| 2012 | 30 | 12% | 45,000 miles |
| 2011 | 9 | 16% | 78,000 miles |
| 2010 | 5 | 11% | 97,000 miles |
| 2009 | 8 | 8% | 60,000 miles |
| 2008 | 8 | 5% | 51,000 miles |
| 2007 | 7 | 10% | 41,000 miles |
| 2005 | 2 | 3% | 100,000 miles |
| 2004 | 1 | 1% | 6,000 miles |
| 2002 | 6 | 2% | 100,000 miles |
| 2001 | 1 | 9% | — |
| 1998 | 3 | 10% | 120,000 miles |
| 1997 | 2 | 7% | — |
| 1995 | 4 | 9% | 180,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
head on collision/hit the side of another car head, 2024 subaru impreza was smoking before vehicle stopped moving after impact (was slung in the opposite direction), not even five minutes after exiting vehicle it caught flames starting a the front of the engine that spread to the hood
My entire dash went out. Nothing worked. This car has only 3500 miles on it. I got danger signs and it said to stop driving the car. Danger. I also got messages in my e-mail I think from Starlink to stop driving the car and bring it in to service. It was dangerous. Service had it for two weeks. They didn't know what to do. They asked if I did something with wires. I'm a [redacted] woman and4'10". What a question. Then some guy at Subaru said "they'll probably have to put a whole new dash in. Days later I called again.Another guy said they had to call all over America to try and find the part. No one to my knowledge has inspected this. I am working with Subaru Customer Care. I don't want this car. I do not feel safe in it.For something so new these emergency problems should not be happening. …
The electrical system failed and battery then exploded. The vehicle is behind held at a tow yard and has been inspected by allied insurance CPI of tower federal credit union. It is available to be inspected for the time being but will be scrapped soon. Both my safety and the safety of others was at risk- this occurred in a Wendy's drive through near other vehicles, a building and of course people there in. There's video footage of the incident taken by Wendy's staff. The car stopped running as the fire caught- I ( the driver ) had to push the vehicle physically away from the building and cars and got away only one minute before it entirely exploded. Whether or not the problem has been confirmed or reproduced elsewhere is UNKNOWN. The fire was extinguished by firefighters and police did take a report as well. …
Both rear doors will intermittently not open when unlocked from both the inside or the outside. I am unsure if this is electrical or related to the door components itself. This is a hazard because passengers have been locked in the back of the car, and needed to climb out from the front or needed me to open the door from the outside if it will open-which could be a deadly amount of extra time in an emergency situation where passengers need to quickly exit the vehicle. This issue has been going on over a year, but I did not take it in until two months ago because I rarely had back passengers. That has changed, so I took it in. I have brought the car to the dealership three times for this issue, which is as of now still unresolved, with the following results: 1st visit: They told me child lock was on and turned it off. …
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH, while depressing the accelerator pedal the vehicle loss power. An independent mechanic was contacted. No warning light warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken an independent mechanic where the diagnosed the coil pack was melted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed the coil pack had a shortage. The contact mention this failure has occurred on several different occasions. The vehicle was repaired as the coil pack and wiring was replaced. The contact was relating to the recall to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V264000(ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), however the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and they informed her because of the milage there was no recall. …
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-40 MPH, the vehicle rolled to a stop and stalled in hot and cold temperatures. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was jump-started by Roadside Assistance. The contact purchased a trickle charger. The local dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was diagnosed, and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired three times, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.
The Starlink head unit, produced by HK, is having the same issues that the WUA86 update should have fixed. It was reprogrammed in 2019, and less than 1 year later when my wife bought it, it was having the same reported glitches. I.E. randomly turning off and on, not connecting to Bluetooth/usb music interface, backup camera taking extended time to come up on head unit screen, turning the headhunt off with the power button doesn't work because it just randomly turns itself back on again. The bluetooth will also randomly disconnect when it does happen to connect in the first place. This is a recall that was performed, and the same exact issues are happening. It's a BIG danger to whomever is driving the car as it takes attention away from driving. I am very unhappy with this danger as it was supposed to have been repaired already. …
2018 Impreza, beginning around 2020, has had three dead or damaged batteries (2x OEM and 1x aftermarket) and the car is now on its fourth battery (aftermarket). Vehicle couldn't sit for more than a few days without needing jump started. Dealership performed parasitic draw test and concluded the Data Communications Module (DCM) was the source of the parasitic draw and pulled the DCM fuse while I await back ordered parts (the DCM and DCM battery). From my research, older DCM units rely on 3G cell service that's no longer available and the DCM keeps attempting to phone home telemetry data, but can't, and drains the battery. Thankfully I have an extended warranty to cover this replacement but feel like Subaru needs to be more proactive in solving this issue for its customers by declaring a recall.
Related recalls (5)
Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2024 Crosstrek and Impreza vehicles. Due to insufficient clearance, the instrument panel harness may contact the steering beam bracket, damaging the wire insulation and causing a short circuit.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the harness and install an additional clamp on the steering beam bracket. If damage is found, dealers will add protective tape or replace the instrument panel harness, as necessary.
Electrical system › Software
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Subaru Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, causing a short circuit.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software, replace the ignition coils and, if necessary, the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 1, 2021.
Electrical system › Software
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, which could result in a short circuit and blown fuse.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software and inspect and replace the ignition coil, as necessary, free of charge.
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019.
Electrical system
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783.
Frequently asked questions
Which Subaru Impreza years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2013 (34), 2012 (30), 2017 (21), 2015 (20) and 2019 (19) model years. Electrical complaints make up 14% of all complaints for the 2013.
Is there a recall for Subaru Impreza electrical problems?
Yes — 5 recalls, including 23V-551 (instrument cluster/panel, Aug 4, 2023); 21V-264 (software, Apr 15, 2021); 19V-743 (software, Oct 18, 2019). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Subaru Impreza electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles; 56% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the ignition (6 mentions), followed by the horn (4).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.